What is the law on stress?

There is no specific law against stress at work. The main duties on employers to tackle work-related stress include:

• Your employer’s general duty to provide a safe place of work, safe systems of work, and safe people to work with (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974). This duty covers both your physical and mental health.
• Your employer’s duty to undertake risk assessments and to take action to eliminate or reduce risks, including stress risks (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999). See Where can I find out more about stress risk assessments? or click this link to the HSE website where you will find details and free downloads of their publications.
• The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 gives you protection if you have a 'disability', as defined in the DDA. If so, your employers must make 'reasonable adjustments' to your working conditions. Check out workSMART's disability rights section.